Young Carers

Surrey Young Carers Angel Award December 2019 Update     

Chertsey High School is delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Young Carers Angel Award by Surrey County Council. We would like to thank the staff and young carers who have been working towards this award since March 2019. The award recognises the excellent practice and support provided by Chertsey High School through our pastoral system and our Wellbeing team. It also recognises that we have created a culture of acceptance, understanding and support for all our young carers from the beginning of year 7. Our half-termly meetings are an opportunity to meet as a group, talk about any worries, and plan our first group trip in the New Year!

A young carer is a young person who is helping to look after someone at home. Most are caring for a parent, but some may be taking responsibility for a sibling, grandparent or other relative. In some instances, a young carer may care for more than one family member. There are an estimated 700,000 young carers in the UK. The average age of a carer is just 12 years old, 8% of secondary pupils are carers, and a third of young carers are giving 11 to 20 hours of care each week. Young carers are performing all sorts of tasks around the home, and particularly, offering their parents emotional support.

At Chertsey High School we recognise that young carers many need extra support to ensure they feel supported and have equal access to education. This may take the form of talking with a mentor to discuss the barriers they may encounter on a day-to-day basis to meeting as a group twice a term to chat and talk about their experiences as a young carer. These barriers can appear while a pupil is in infant school, and can persist into adulthood, restricting opportunities for further and higher education, and employment. The Angel Award aims to encourage and recognise all the great work that schools do in identifying and supporting their young carers. 

Schools achieving the Angel Award will be recognised by pupils, families and professionals as a young carer friendly environment. This creates a culture of acceptance, understanding and support for its vulnerable pupils.

CHS have achieved this Award by meeting eight standards, checked by our staff and young carers, including having a carers’ champion, a carers support group, training for staff, and assemblies about young carers to help all pupils understand the issues the young carers face,  as well as support pupils to self-identify and find the help they need.

Young carers may identify themselves or may be identified by their families or staff at any point, on entry in year 7 or later in their school life. Confidentiality will be respected and attendance at any meeting or event is optional at all times.

For more information regarding how we support our Young Carers, please contact: